Today during lunch many of the wonderful writers of various publications as well as those cool dudes from the Usenet group rec.audio.opinion met at the Hard Rock Cafe. Of course we captured this moment for all to see in a super large panorama. Please click here and see all the faces behind those wonderful internet postings.

 

While the above photo only hints at the true beauty of this loudspeaker, Moth Audio's new loudspeaker (no name yet) are a high sensitivity design  and will be available for $4,500 a pair with Lowther DX-2 drivers, or $7,700 with the REPS R-1 drivers. The construction, design, and beauty of these units were truly exceptional.

 

ASUSA-Kit has a room full of high value for the dollar kits ranging from EL24 to 300B... and beyond! How about a four watt per channel EL84-based amplifier for only $399 in kit, $499 assembled and tested form. Wants more power? Ok, how does an eight watt 300B kit fully assembled for only $899 sound to you? What? You also need a preamplifier?  They offer phono preamplifier starting at $338 and line preamplifier at $499. Kits rule and are cool you soldering fool! :-{)

 

The Burmester room was sounding very impressive using their new Amp 911 MK2 ($17,2220) monoblock which produces 770 solid-state watts of power. Of course they were also using their highly acclaimed D/A Converter 970 ($30,600) which is capable of 24-bit/96 kHz digital to analog conversion. Of course their Three-way, side firing woofer loudspeaker, 949 First ($19,850), was gloriously producing some wonderful jazz.

 

Conrad-Johnson were showing quite a few new products during the show. Their new Premier 17LS preamplifier ($4,495) uses four paralleled sections of high-transconductance miniature twin tubes. This is claimed to achieve a very low output impedance while also reducing the number of active stages to the absolute minimum to achieve the highest is music reproduction capabilities. Their new LF-2 ($2,995) J-FET line stage preamplifier replaces their long established  and critically acclaimed PFR. Computer-controlled discrete stepped attenuation in used for very high precision volume and balance control. Soon to be available in March of 2000 will be their high-value LV-1 preamplifier ($1,995) is constructed around the 6C4 miniature triode tube which also uses the same high quality attenuation as the LF-2.

 

Legend Audio Design were showcasing their new Starlet 35 watt per channel integrated amplifier. This triode "Class A" vacuum tube unit has three stereo RCA inputs for pre-amplification while high quality speaker binding posts are using for output duties. 

 

Theta was in full force with their Voyager DVD/CD transport ($4,500) as seen on top. The lower middle unit is their Casa Nova (no price given) music and home theater controller. The lowermost unit is their new Dreadnaught zero-feedback, fully differential 200 watt per channel amplifier. RCA and XLR inputs are provided for. Frequency response is claimed at 0.3 Hz to 250 kHz (+-3db).

 

Well, it looks like my old favorite Duotech cable burn-in device's days are numbered as the new Audiodharma Cable Cooker is claimed to offer a very thorough and carefully controlled cable conditioning. This is said to achieve the best possible sound from a given cable. Their Cable Cooker 1.0 will burn-in RCA and XLR interconnect cables and speaker wire. They will soon be releasing a unit to condition power wires.